Superheroes

2.5K 147 109
                                        

Shubman stumbled blindly into their lawn and then outside. He didn't want anyone to come after him. Try to console him. He had to get away from...Ishan or di, whoever came...preferably, none of them.

What was there to be consoled any longer?

He clutched the low fence and bent over against it. He was crying so hard, he couldn't breathe. Darkness pulsated in his vision.

What have I done?

What have I done?

Something, nails on the fence maybe, pricked against his palm when he curled them tighter. Stupidly, this pain felt better. Of course it would. Of course it would.

He pressed his palm harder against them. He twisted the nail into them. The blood was good...it was distracting, distracting from what he had just said to his father.

No, nothing could distract him. He snatched his hands back from the fence and pressed them to his heart.

His father... His father was...

His best friend. His role model. His guide. His cheerleader. 

Part of him. Always, part of him.

Shubman screamed his sobs out.

"Shubi-" A hand gripped his shoulder.

It wasn't Ishan or di, like he'd expected.

"Come here, son..."

Shubman didn't need to be told twice.

He threw his arms around his father, blood-stained palms and all and buried his head in his father's shoulders, convulsing. His father patted his head and rubbed his back and held him very tight.

"Dad-" He could barely get a word out. "Dad, I'm s-"

"Don't say it," his father said. "You're not to say sorry for acknowledging my shortcomings for once."

Shubman clung on harder.

"Maybe," mused his father. "Maybe you were my trophy. Maybe you still are. But whenever I've imagined my trophy, I wanted him to be the happiest person who ever lived. I never wanted the slightest discomfort or hardship to befall you. And I have protected you from all of that, haven't I, Shubi?"

At best, Shubman could only nod.

"If you marry Ishan-" It was the first time anyone of their parents said that without wincing. "-you'll have to face a lot of hardships in your life, and I would've wanted to protect you from them again. But taking Ishan away from you and replacing him with a girl isn't the solution to that, and I'm sorry it took me so long to realize."

"Dad, it doesn't matter what anyone says," sobbed Shubman. "Back in...in Australia...none of it had been anything more than, than an annoyance till...till you..."

"I know," said his father. "When you were a kid, whatever mischief you ever got up to, my go ahead was all you would want. Shahneel used to get furious because naturally, I had to say no to most of them. I don't think you've changed much, Shubi."

Once again, Shubman couldn't breathe for crying.

"I will still try to protect you from everything bad," his father said. "From now, we'll fight together."

"Do you mean-?" Shubman couldn't say it.

"If I'm actually going to be okay with your relationship with Ishan?" his father said. 

Shubman nodded again.

"Look, I won't pretend to understand it all of a sudden. But since it matters so much to you, and to him too, and since he makes you happy, since you want him, and no one else...I am more than okay with it. And I promise I will try to understand it, and I'm sure I'll get there someday."

Climb Every Mountain, With You (Shubman Gill x Ishan Kishan)Where stories live. Discover now